After a brutal five-sack outing against Houston, Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback is pushing back against critics to shield his left tackle from the blame for protection breakdowns.
The Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2026 season hoping their offensive line could take a step forward, and through the first two weeks, there have been signs of improvement.
That progress was tested in Week 2 against the Houston Texans.
Cincinnati still came away with a 20-6 victory to move to 2-0, but the offensive line struggled to contain Houston's pass rush. Joe Burrow was sacked five times and hit 10 times, with Orlando Brown Jr. receiving much of the criticism for the performance.
Brown, who protects Burrow's blind side at left tackle, faced a difficult matchup against Houston's talented defensive front. He was credited with five pressures and two sacks allowed, according to NFL.com, while also allowing three sacks and four pressures by Pro Football Focus' grading.
Through the first two games, Brown leads the Bengals in sacks allowed, quarterback hits allowed and total pressures, with three sacks, three hits and six pressures charged to him. That production has made him a focal point of criticism as Cincinnati prepares for its Week 3 matchup with Pittsburgh.
But Burrow does not believe the responsibility for the pressure he faced against Houston can simply be placed on Brown.
Speaking Wednesday, Burrow defended his left tackle and explained that there are more factors involved in pass protection than what can be seen from the outside. He pointed to the complexities of protection calls, including situations where offensive linemen expect help from different positions or anticipate certain defenders being handled elsewhere.
Because of those responsibilities, Burrow said some of the sacks Brown was blamed for were not actually within the tackle's control.
He also pushed back against the idea that Brown had a poor overall game. While acknowledging that there were plays the offensive line needs to improve, Burrow characterized Brown's performance as generally solid and emphasized how difficult it can be to evaluate offensive line play from outside the building.
That support comes after the Bengals showed significant improvement from last season in Week 1. Cincinnati's offensive line helped Burrow operate effectively in a 33-27 victory over Tampa Bay, giving the unit reason for optimism entering the season.
The Houston game provided a reminder that the group still has work to do, particularly against elite pass rushers. Pittsburgh presents another difficult test Sunday, with the Bengals facing an AFC North opponent capable of putting pressure on Burrow.
Regardless of the criticism, Cincinnati will need Brown to be a consistent presence on Burrow's blind side throughout the season. With the Bengals looking to make a postseason run, protecting their franchise quarterback will be one of the offensive line's most important responsibilities. Brown's ability to provide that protection will be a key part of Cincinnati's success as the season continues.
